PARNELL’S TRIUMPHANT MARCH

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 887, 3 February 1930, Page 6

PARNELL’S TRIUMPHANT MARCH

SPECTACULAR CRASHES IN A.C.A. CRICKET SHORE’S SECOND WIN IN SAME WEEK WITH a smashing victory over Ponsonby on Saturday, Parnell goes merrily along on its winning way in A.C.A. cricket. Soft, treacherous wickets played into the hands of the bowlers on Saturday. Most sensational of all was Shore’s sweeping success at Devonport, where Coates and Saunders went through Grafton like a mid-summer blizzard.

la some quarters, Grafton was picked to wipe the earth with Shore. But the Devonport men, at the peak of their belated and startling return to form, having got the upper hand the previous Saturday, crashed through Cyril Allcott’s side twice in the one a Cternoon for a triumphant fourpointer. All through the long afternoon, the sawdust-spattered wickets were a bowler’s paradise. The greasy turf stuck to tho batsmen’s feet like glue. Correct footwork was an impossibility, and half-cock shots and mishits provided the fieldsmen with catch after catch. A FIGHTING FINISH A bad light added to the difficulties of the batsmen. Most meritorious of all was Suburbs’ gallant fight against Y.M.C.A. In a ding-dong finish, the Young Men just got there by four runs when Panther snapped up a catch which required a hurried consultation between the two umpires before a decision was given. “Gig” Wetherill was first out on to the paddock to congratulate Elliott on a thrilling vicChiefly due to Eden's lost opportunities, ’Varsity scrambled through to a draw in the match on No. 1 wicket. A ft:ie opening effort by Smeeton, and Sohnauer’s dogged innings after being dropped at the wickets, enabled the students to split the points. Parnell made no race of Ponsonby. IVer slcy and Anthony, backed by safe fielding, rattled the side out in time to tike the tea adjournment with no further worries for the day. WICKETS FALL FOR ANTHONY AND WENSLEY TROUNCING OF PONSONBY With one down for 20 in its second innings and a deficiency of 1011 on the first tho odds were all against Ponsonby when it continued its game with Parnell. The bowling of Wensley and Anthony applied the coup do grace. These two bowled practically throughout the few hours play on Saturday, Wensley going on after an over or two from Aitken and Anthony bowling almost throughout from the pavilion end. Both were getting all the assisfitnee they wanted from thes wicket. Anthony seemed to be giving the batsmen most trouble, and it was surprising he didn’t take more wickets. Wensley was bowling consistently and getting most of the fruits of the bowlers’ combined efforts He would amble to the wicket and send along a twister that the batsman simply couldn’t keep clown. All the coach’s successes were from catches. In that respect he was favoured by the help of a clever set of fieldsmen. McCoy at first slip brought off two smart catches, taking Taylor near the beginning of the day’s play and later on accepting a vague one from Monteith. Guiney touched one of Wensley’s faster balls toward Goodsir at second slip and Ooodsir got down and forward to what was no more than a bare chance. None of the batsmen shaped well against the bowling. Smith, who made top score for his side and had the longest stay at the crease, was never very comfortable, and the stroke that lost him his wicket (a ball from Wensley nicely cocked up to Aitken. who was conveniently placed at what might be called silly mid-on) was as feeble an effort as one could see. However, his innings was on the whole a sound exhibition, and it might easily have saved his side the big defeat. Of the other batsmen, Taylor was valuable. Most of his twenty was made on the first day. Finlayson batted quietly but attractively, and when he was IT a ball from Anthony, with a twist on it that would have beaten a much better batsman, upset his stumps. Guiney riskily survived two or three overs and'came out with no score at all. When Smith went and Hunt and Lendrum were left to wobble at the wicket, it was clear that all was over. But this pair put on twelve runs—a fine last wicket stands Details: PARNELL First innings * 157 PONSONBY First innings 54 Second Innings RI'RTON, c Wensley, b Goodsir .... 0 TAYLOR, c McCoy, b Wensley .... 20 UOY, b Anthony 7 FLETCHER, e Aitken, b Wensley .. 5 FINLAYSON. b Anthony 11 SMITH, c Aitken, b Wensley .. .. 22 MONTEITH, c McCoy, b Wensley .. t GUINEY, c Goodsir, b Wensley .... 0 f’LEVERLEY, b Anthony 2 TiENDRUM. not out 4 HUNT, b Aitken 8 Extras J 1 Total S 4 Bowling: Wensley, 5-44: Anthony. 8-22; Goodsir. 1-5; Aitken, 1-7; McCoy. 0-4. VARSITY JUST SCRAPED HOME AGAINST EDEN LOST OPPORTUNITIES Had not No. 1 wicket been the worst of the three, thus necessitating over an hour’s delay, Eden would probably have gained a first inning’s win over Varsity at Eden Park on Saturday. Even so, Eden threw away its chances, and Varsity managed to stave off defeat with a wicket in hand when the end came. Captain Smeeton played a skipper’s part with a great opening knock, which was a heart-breaker to the Eden bowlers. At five o’clock, Varsity had scored 83 for three wickets, and was going along nicely. In the next hour, the odds swung alarmingly against Varsity. Butler trundled like a Trojan, and bowled maiden after maiden against the flustered batsmen. The clock saved Varsity—that and j n costly let-off which Schnauer had the glorious luck to get away with just after he got out to the batting j crease. The ex-Grammar captain, j who hasn’t had the best of luck lately, j stuck it out till the last ball of the day. when A. F. Weir got one? past liis barndoor defence. Wells batted j well, too. Brisk fielding by Gillespie and Harry I Rov. who snapped up a beauty in slips I

while acting as a substitute, was one of the few bright spots of the match. Butler’s bowling was outstanding, and A. F. Weir showed some of his old form in bagging three cheap wickets. Details: EDEN. First Innings 223 VARSITY First Innings PEARSON, Ibw, b Mills 10 BUSH, o sub., b A. F. Weir 12 METGE, c G. L. Weir, b Butler .... 13 SMEETON, c Gillespie, b Butler .... 42 MATHESON. c Gillespie, b A. F. Weir 5 SCHNAUER, b A. F. Weir 19 Me DOUG ALL, c sub. b Butler .... 1 WELLS, b Gillespie 20 HAY, c Gillespie, b Langton 3 BURRIDGE, not out 10 Extras 20 Nine wickets for 154 Bowling: Mills, 1-25; Bjtler. 3-22; A. F. Weir, 3-29; Langton, 1-31; Gillespie, 1-16; Aicken, 0-1; G. L. Weir, 0-11. SHORE SIDE GOES FROM TRIUMPH TO TRIUMPH FOUR-POINTER AGAINST GRAFTON Flushed with an easy victory over Y.M.C.A. on Anniversary Day, which was unlucky not to have gained full points, the Shore side set about collecting Grafton’s scalp in a determined fashion on Saturday. After dismissing tho Gully club Tor 75 in tho first innings and compelling it to follow on, the home side put Grafton in and out again for 112, gaining a convincing four-point victory by an